vocalist:

SO tell me what will stay if religion should be abolish, i fink islamic and other heathen religion should be abolish and let christianity stay for enternity

Abolish all religions especially in Nigeria then people will be forced to think rationally about how to solve the country's problems without turning to the imaginary god's

vocalist:

SO tell me what will stay if religion should be abolish, i fink islamic and other heathen religion should be abolish and let christianity stay for enternity

thoughts like this is why religion should be contained.

i agree with you, abolish religion then only christainity will remain because it is not a religion but a way of life

i agree with you, abolish religion then only christainity will remain because it is not a religion but a way of life

I have heard many christians say this and would like to know why you try to distance your beliefs in a supernatural deity from being called a religion.

What is your definition of what constitutes a religious belief system (religion), and why does that exclude christianity?

I have checked the dictionaries and cant find anything that will exclude christianity from being defined as a religion.

It is what it is. Why the denial?

Religion is the opiate of society   we all need some religion to escape or cope with the various harsh realities of life, which is We are all responsible for our lives and the sheer thought of that leaves some people clueless as what next to do.

So they cast all their problems on God who is way behind on his long to-do list so much so that SATAN is allowed to run amok.
They absolve themselves of any responsibility to circumstances they are not in a position to control the outcome (that is where Faith & Belief comes in). If men where able to control 80% of what happens in their lives, they would not need religion, but hey, that is how the world is, it turns least when you expect it, sooo Deal with it and stop hiding behind God waiting for the world to turn in your favor, Lazy freaks  

The real winners in this religion game are the religious leaders with private jets and jerry curls, wealthy mansions, fat bank accounts, many wives and concubines and a whole bus-load of suicide bombers to send out at their slightest whim.  

Religion is what alcohol is to dead-beat alcoholics, an escape from reality, which is why It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven  

it not what one can say in a sentence only tru studies. check the bible and see the life of christ. if it where a religion the then religion will not persicute Jesus. read very closly at Jesus life in the bible

i dont understand how people can believe in a religion who says knowledge is bad

a religious idea that says if you live an evil life and later repent you can go into heaven, but if you live a moral life take the lords name in vain and have a heart attack youll go to hell

"christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions"

agathamari:

i dont understand how people can believe in a religion who says knowledge is bad

a religious idea that says if you live an evil life and later repent you can go into heaven, but if you live a moral life take the lords name in vain and have a heart attack youll go to hell

Does your religion (whatever it is) encourage people to take the Lord's name in vain (whatever 'Lord' you have in your religion) - and then applaud such behaviour? Please tell me: in your own religion, what morality comes out of taking 'the Lord's name' in vain?

God bless the poster, i have always said, religion of all kind no maatter the structure they assume have done more damage than good.

viaro:

Does your religion (whatever it is) encourage people to take the Lord's name in vain (whatever 'Lord' you have in your religion) - and then applaud such behaviour? Please tell me: in your own religion, what morality comes out of taking 'the Lord's name' in vain?

this is exactly why i dont believe in organized religions.  such religions are more intrested in satifying a god who admits to being jeloce and too little on treating your neighbors with respect. 

is there a particular reason you seem to enjoy annoying me?

this is for you:  From a correspondence between Ensign Guy H. Raner and Albert Einstein in 1945. Einstein responds to the accusation that he was converted by a Jesuit priest: "I have never talked to a Jesuit prest in my life. I am astonished by the audacity to tell such lies about me. From the viewpoint of a Jesuit priest I am, of course, and have always been an atheist."

Do we want to? Religion is one of the few things stopping a lot of people making bad choices. If we were to abolish religion all of the life lessons that were taught to us by religion about right and wrong would be lost. I'm not religious but the only thing stopping religious people from hurting over people is their fear of God and going to hell. I'm aware of zealots using religion as an excuse for terrorism but I truely believe it prevents more crime then it causes. Not only that religion can give people hope in a way that nothing else can. It can give people strength and heal people in a way I guess similar to a placebo. Finally isn't a good idea to be just a little bit religious? Just in case? I always feel it's best to keep all options open. Whats gonna happen if God does exist? you guys who want to abolish religion are gonna have red faces.

every place on this planet has suffered from this stigma, disease called religion. it offers no good.

Kay 17:

every place on this planet has suffered from this stigma, disease called religion. it offers no good.

What has the disease called atheism offered anybody?

viaro:

What has the disease called atheism offered anybody?

You have not answered the question dear sir. I'd expect you to list out benefits, challenges and possible options not an outright evasion by asking another question rhetorically, please answer the question first

disciplex:

Do we want to? Religion is one of the few things stopping a lot of people making bad choices. If we were to abolish religion all of the life lessons that were taught to us by religion about right and wrong would be lost. I'm not religious but the only thing stopping religious people from hurting over people is their fear of God and going to hell. I'm aware of zealots using religion as an excuse for terrorism but I truely believe it prevents more crime then it causes. Not only that religion can give people hope in a way that nothing else can. It can give people strength and heal people in a way I guess similar to a placebo. Finally isn't a good idea to be just a little bit religious? Just in case? I always feel it's best to keep all options open. Whats gonna happen if God does exist? you guys who want to abolish religion are gonna have red faces.

considering only a handful of religions even have a consept of hell (many more have an equivilant to heaven) that kinda negates your whole 'people only behave because they are afraid of hell' logic.


"It is better to live your life as if there are no Gods, and try to make the world a better place for your being in it. If there is no God, you have lost nothing and will be remembered fondly by those you left behind. If there is a benevolent God, He will judge you on your merits and not just on whether or not you believed in Him."

the people dat says there is no God will be the onces dat first shout "God help me" when they are involve in an accident. i have seen it happen

jatwill:


the people dat says there is no God will be the onces dat first shout "God help me" when they are involve in an accident. i have seen it happen

I say God-Damn when i see a fine chic with a PHAT BOOTY walk past, what do you make of that

@ Agathamary -

Einstein was not an atheist.

He had a perception of the FIRST CAUSE or PRIME MOVER which he regarded as impersonal. He did not believe in the Judaic idea of a big daddy sitting in the skies flinging down manna.

My perception of the Godhead has been said to be vague by many people: this does not make me an atheist.

Crucially, you should note that Einstein in all the quotes you presented qualified his statements -

   -he said he did not beleive in a personal God

   -he said from the point of view of a Jesuit priest, he would be seen as an atheist.

Clear now?

I seem to keep getting lost when people use the term RELIGION. Honestly religion is a much bigger term embracing even our own african traditions so removing it will leave people where?

Abolishing religion implies using force to stop people from believing whatever they want to believe. This would qualify as a form of tyranny.
People should always be free to believe whatever they want especially when they have been informed of the available alternatives.

I think a better approach will be to educate people well enough at the very least, encourage critical thinking early in their education.
The provision of some forms of general safety mechanisms, which would drastically reduce the feeling that control of basic situations is out of the hands of the individual members of the society e.g social security, health security etc will also go a long way to mitigate the effects of religion.

disciplex:

Do we want to? Religion is one of the few things stopping a lot of people making bad choices. If we were to abolish religion all of the life lessons that were taught to us by religion about right and wrong would be lost. I'm not religious but the only thing stopping religious people from hurting over people is their fear of God and going to hell.

This is a fallacious statement. Do you really think that if someone stopped believing in a god that such a person would start going about stealing, murdering and raping people? Some of the things taught by religion about right and wrong really should not be practiced in this day and age.

disciplex:

I'm aware of zealots using religion as an excuse for terrorism but I truely believe it prevents more crime then it causes. Not only that religion can give people hope in a way that nothing else can.

It can also fail people in a way that nothing else can.

disciplex:

It can give people strength and heal people in a way I guess similar to a placebo. Finally isn't a good idea to be just a little bit religious? Just in case? I always feel it's best to keep all options open. Whats gonna happen if God does exist? you guys who want to abolish religion are gonna have red faces.

The placebo effect is not healing. So which religion do you think is the best option?
If God does exist, nobody knows what will happen.

yes i throw my full weight behind this

Abolish religion? Not a chance. Even coming from an agnostic like myself, I think it would be a bad idea to ban folks from worshipping as they please. It would only stir up more shiit-fests and extremism. Non believers shouldn't do like the religious biggots who always found a way to ban anything that could remotely hamper religion's control over society. Galileo still weeps in his grave.

However, religion should not be mixed with politics, education and profession in general (like the London bus driver who stopped driving in the middle of his job to pray, wth?!). Religion should strictly remain a private matter. Not a state affair. I like how countries like France and Germany are handling this issue, although there are still some things to improve on.

thehomer:


This is a fallacious statement. Do you really think that if someone stopped believing in a god that such a person would start going about stealing, murdering and despoiling people? Some of the things taught by religion about right and wrong really should not be practiced in this day and age.

There is no doubt whatsoever that religion,true or false has been a major force in peoples lives,embedding that sense of responsibility,judgment and fear of god (deity) or punishment for whatever sin.That knowledge from childhood has helped shape our lives for better in many ways.However,i'd quickly point out that it is equally responsible bad side that comes from extremism but how many people out the 1.2 billion Muslims or over 2 billion christians jump into suicide vests and blow people up? Extremists like Bin Laden or Christian extremists like Mr Bush and their entire clan account for only 0.1% of the over 3.5 billion people that follow the Abrahamic traditions.
Religion has its strong and weak points buts its intention weather true or false is good for mankind.The basic teachings of every religion is peace and love for each other.I have seen people leave conflicts for God to resolve."Leave everything to God" is a common saying in nigeria.
Finally,i think atheists like the hitlers and stalins of our day should be kept in check as free thinking without the concept of God would lead to chaos just as history has thought us.I'm not sure about this but its quite believable that atheists may've been responsible for the atlantic slave trade. What would life be without God?

yeah
, and the islamic fanatics will stop killing pple in suicide attacks

disciplex:

Finally,i think atheists like the hitlers and stalins of our day should be kept in check as free thinking without the concept of God would lead to chaos just as history has thought us.

Hitler wasn't an atheist. First came across this idea on NL and wonder where it comes from!

disciplex:

There is no doubt whatsoever that religion,true or false has been a major force in peoples lives,embedding that sense of responsibility,judgment and fear of god (deity) or punishment for whatever sin.That knowledge from childhood has helped shape our lives for better in many ways.

That may work for children but when it comes to at least adolescents and above, the sense of responsibility and other things are more influenced by their genes or the way they were raised than by religious convictions. A case in point being the rate of teenage pregnancies.

disciplex:

However,i'd quickly point out that it is equally responsible bad side that comes from extremism but how many people out the 1.2 billion Muslims or over 2 billion christians jump into suicide vests and blow people up? Extremists like Bin Laden or Christian extremists like Mr Bush and their entire clan account for only 0.1% of the over 3.5 billion people that follow the Abrahamic traditions.

And I say it's not because of the religion that they do not carry out these evil acts but more from the way they were raised in their families and societies.

disciplex:

   Religion has its strong and weak points buts its intention weather true or false is good for mankind.

What do you mean by this statement? That is if the intention is deception it is equally as good as honesty?

disciplex:

The basic teachings of every religion is peace and love for each other.

Not necessarily. Lots of other religions have a myriad of laws attached that are to be followed. Some which are considered barbaric by today's standards.

disciplex:

I have seen people leave conflicts for God to resolve."Leave everything to God" is a common saying in nigeria.

This is not usually the best way to resolve conflicts. This sort of saying is one of the reasons why people refuse to stand for their rights. Someone steals public funds and you're waiting for God to either bless him or punish him?

disciplex:

   Finally,i think atheists like the hitlers and stalins of our day should be kept in check as free thinking without the concept of God would lead to chaos just as history has thought us.I'm not sure about this but its quite believable that atheists may've been responsible for the atlantic slave trade.  

Hitler was not an atheist. Stalin also began as a christian but later became an atheist.
Your claim about freethinking without the God concept would lead to chaos. What is your hypothesis?
Actually what history has shown is that people will do anything for great control over other people.
Now you seem to believe that atheists were responsible for the trans Atlantic slave trade. Please show us your evidence since if I recall history correctly, slavery had always been a part of human history. You would do yourself a lot of good to read about the history of slavery and also consider that some people felt it was their religious right to have slaves.

disciplex:

What would life be without God?

Let me rephrase the question. What would our lives be like without religion?
Here's a quote to help you put it in perspective
"With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." - Steven Weinberg

viaro:

What has the disease called atheism offered anybody?

agnosticism is a silly excuse for irrationality!
all those suicide bombing in the name of camel riding pedophiles and sodomites and stupiD allah. the bloody crusades?